i feel like crying

[claw3]

just had a disastrous feeding clinic appointment.

OT assessed ds at home and was very much on side.

She then assessed ds at school and is now very much not on side.

I have been given the old 'children often display different behaviour at home' line, which is code for we dont believe you.

School have reported that ds is doing fine and has no difficulties in school and that i harass the SENCO as i am an over anxious mother who exaggerates ds's difficulties (obviously not said in so many words, im exaggerating obviously!)

She observed him at lunchtime and saw him eat ALL of his lunch. A quarter of chocolate spread sandwich, big bloody deal.

School have reported that give ds all kinds of wonderful help. This is not the case, they give him zero help. When i pointed this out, feeding clinic replied 'they dont get involved with schools disputes and i need to take this up with the school'

I reply 'well dont tell me he has no difficulties in school then'

A bit later she says again 'ds is coping fine in school with the help the school have put in place'

I show her a copy of the teachers report which conflicts with ds doing fine in school. She replies again 'we dont get involved in school disputes'

What is the point of talking to these people, if they dont even believe what you are saying.

I feel like telling them all to take a run and jump.

Whats the point of ds being given a label, if no one believes a word you bloody well say

I give up!

Off to CAMHS appointment now, rant over!

Claw, am I right in thinking you have an Ed Psych report for BIBIC but that it is getting a bit old now. Would you update that?

Can I just ask- I am at week 10 of the process of this for my son who is similar to claws after taking the LA to Tribunal (they caved in about a week before)if I ask the LEA to seek Advice from the NHS OT do they have to do so, its about a 8 months waiting list-we were on it but had to come off it to go private to get evidence for the tribunal and now we are back on it again.
CAMHS have sent their own OT into school but have got the ADOS in early July so I suspect may not get the results of that until August.
Son has a diagnosis of dyspraxia.

Yay for you Claw as well!! Brilliant news!!

The LA have given school 6 hours funding for my son which seems to be working out that he is having daily 1-1 in the afternoons whilst the statement process goes through. The EP picked up on auditory processing (2nd percentile),repetitive behaviour, difficulty modulating voice, illegible handwriting and he is on the 1st percentile for his dyspraxia so I am hoping that we won't have to go to Tribunal again. Well fingers crossed. The NHS OT Manager had high opinions of the private OT when we told her who it was so I will perhaps ask the LA to contact her for her opinion on that basis?

Debs, yeah EP report was private one from bibic, so dated December 2009. All reports are reaching 6 months now (apart from CAMHS and forthcoming OT one) This couldnt have happened at a worse time money wise, just paid for a new kitchen!

Star professionals on side, i have senior SALT, CAMHS. EP and bibic were private can i use them?

Claw

BIBIC ED PYCH report is fine. Submit the Parental Advice and mention that you are enclosing a separate BIBIC report for them to consider. The report is still valid even if it's older than 6 months. I submitted a private dx report and they made it another, separate Appendix to the Statement. But as Star says differenet LAs do things differently so make it clear to them.

Don't tell school to go seeking reports from any 'professionals' - that's the job of the LEA if you tell them to do that. You've got to get your head round the fact that now this is between you and the LEA - nothing to do with school anymore other than them submitting School advice.

If you think the OT would write another report that backs you up rather than school then ask for one. If you think an OT report would contradict yoy then don't ask for it - mention all your contact wuth OT in the Parnetal Advice instead.

Debs

Thanks. That clears up theonfusion. The Act say 'probably' and the SEN COP says 'may' - a bit poor really that they've watered down the expectation in the SEN COP - typical!.
But the good news for Claw as she'll probably now get a Statement from the assessment.

No. It is 'probably' in the SEN COP:

"7:4 An assessment under section 323 of the Education Act 1996 should only be undertaken
if the LEA believe that the child probably has special educational needs and that the LEA
needs or probably needs to determine the child?s special educational provision itself by
making a statement." [Emphasis mine]

I think 'may' gives more obligation to the LEA. 'May' implies 'might do might not'. Probably implies 'more likely to do so than not'.

It actually makes it a higher hurdle to cross to get the SA in the first place as you have to show that it is more likely than not that a child needs a statement to get a statutory assessment.

Yes, debs, that's what I think. If it said 'may' in the SEN COP, the LA would have to be pretty sure of themselves to turn down a SA. Whereas saying 'probably' means that they can require alot more evidence to convince them.

I've noticed on the Oldham LA website, that they say 'it is very rare for a statutory assessment to conclude that a statement is not necessary'. Well, that'll be because the bar is set so high for assessment in the first place, that only the clear cut cases are getting through

Claw our Ed Psych contacted us and agreed to go and see DS at nursery and then visited us at home afterwards to go through what had observed and to talk about what we wanted and why.

If I were you if Ed Psych does not contact you direct I would get his number and ring him direct and ask if intends to observe / visit you and DS at home as part of SA report. Make it clear you would like this to be part of assessment.

My DS was too young but usually for older DS would expect Ed Psych to do testing eg Vineland, GARS etc etc to see is any LD, splintered skills etc so there should be some interaction. You could ask the Ed Psych what testing will do and if at school or whether school be providing quiet room for ed psych to work with your child.

Usually a school has an Ed Psych attached to it but don't know what happens when diff area.

Interesting post Agnes. We have ed psych coming after the holidays too and her email to me suggested that she was going to be observing DS is class which seemed a little pointless when he actually needs specific cognitive assessments.

I have chased her about this and she is going to speak to me Tuesday. So, Claw, I will see what she says and post anything useful for you as I know we lead parallel lives!!

Glad to hear your news Claw

Casserole You're back - yay!

I wonder if you could explain this to me. Someone called this morning (on a BH?) to tell me that she was my tribunal representative.

What on earth does that mean? Knowing my LA the could be playing very dirty tricks and she could be working for them. Is that possible?

Hmm.... I'm not sure, actually!

My guess is that it's the clerk at SENDIST working on your case - either that or the person at the LA who will be opposing your appeal... or have you enlisted the help of parent partership, IPSEA or any legal firms? Could be them....did they say where they were calling from, or give you a number to contact them on?

LOL. It was IPSEA (only IPSEA would work on a BH eh?). I was assigned to a rep. in FEB, but only just worked my way down the waiting list .

Thanks for your reply though.

Morning everyone, took the weekend off to recharge.

This morning i have received a letter from ASD service.

My previous appointment has now been changed to:-

1 hour observation/play session with child and professionals.

1 and half hour discussion between parents and professionals.

and during the play session we sometimes make a video.

There is now no mention of the school.

Welcome back Claw. I would ask whether these tests are formal standardised dx tests. There must be a written pathway somewhere. They have one here - even if it is crap! You were expecting a dx from this meeting so I think you can properly ask where about on this pathway you are now.

Thanks Debs, ive emailed them with what you advised.

Both ASD Service and Paed had already given me a verbal dx. I cant believe how much influence a school who obviously have no experience or knowledge of autism, can have.

Every appointment i have, i am now having to convince professionals that school are not understanding before we can even start discussing ds. Its a joke.

I'm glad you managed to keep the school out of the appointment at least.
Unbelievable what I'm reading on this thread, and how hard you're having to fight with these b**s

sc13, im not sure i have yet. Their 1st response stated process could not proceed without school being present.

Letter did not mention school being present, just professionals, i have asked them to confirm that too.